Undertrial dies in custody

 

COOCH BEHAR, July 19: An undertrial prisoner, Narayan Dey (70) died in jail custody in Cooch Behar last night. He was a resident of Sudhangshu Nagar in Ward No. 2. He was in jail custody since 4 June.

 

It was learnt that Narayan Dey's younger son Ujjwal Dey married Tumpa Dey about a year ago. On 3 June of this year Tumpa reportedly committed suicide by setting her ablaze with kerosene. Police had arrested her husband Ujjwal Dey, mother-in-law Jyotsna Dey and father-in-law Narayan Dey in connection with that incident. Since 4 June the arrested trio were in Cooch Behar District Correctional Home under jail custody.

 

As Narayan Dey was an acute asthmatic patient he was shifted to MJN Hospital from the CDCH for two times earlier. Last evening his condition was reportedly turned serious. He was reportedly found suffering from breathing trouble. The jail authority shifted him to MJN Hospital where he died at night.

 

According to Dey family sources, the elder son of the deceased, Mr Utpal Dey is getting ready to submit a complaint to the Human Rights Commission. They alleged that the police and the jail authority did little to extend proper medical care to the old man though he was an acute asthmatic patient. The family members were not informed in time about his illness and shifting to the hospital. They got the death news only at deep of the night, they alleged. They believe the Human Rights Commission may do the right to the bereaved family.

 

Additional superintendent of police, Mr James Kujur said the police and also the jail authority submitted a report informing the death of the undertrial to the Human Rights Commission according to norms. Post-mortem of the body was done today following all official procedure. Videography was also done during the post-mortem process in presence of all concerned. They will send a detailed report to the HRC, Mr Kujur said. []

 

Air service to resume from 15 August

  

COOCH BEHAR, July 19: Countdown begins. Now it is less than one month to resume the long awaited air service from Cooch Behar Airport. Cooch Behar Airport may start functioning again on and from 15 August. District magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha believes if all goes well the air service will resume on the Independence Day. Others too expect so.

 

On the otherhand, hearing for demolishing and downsizing of forty-two buildings and constructions situated around Cooch Behar Airport was completed in the first week of this month. Cooch Behar DM Mr Sinha told The Statesman today that after completion of the hearing the Airport Authority of India officials went back to Kolkata. They are yet to convey the district administration about the outcome of the hearing and so it is yet uncertain whether the identified constructions need to be downsized or not to resume the air service, Mr Sinha said. He however assured all co-operation to resume the air service through Cooch Behar Airport.

 

Welcoming the news, Cooch Behar District Left Front convenor Mr Chandi Pal hoped that this time the Airport Authority of India (AAI) might keep their promise. He said he had talks with the state chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee recently over the matter. The CM too assured of the resumption of the air service, Mr Pal claimed.

 

Secretary of Cooch Behar District Merchants Chamber of Commerce Mr Rajendra Kumar Baid said, "We came to know that the air service will be along Dum Dum – Cooch Behar – Guwahati route and vice versa". Authorities of Air Deccan and some other well-known airlines expressed their interest in conducting flights in this route, he said. But the district magistrate Mr Sinha said, "I heard about Air Deccan and a few names but I was not informed of about any particular airlines till now to be pressed into the service".

 

It may be recalled that a team of AAI officials had visited Cooch Behar during the first week of this month. They had inquired about available infrastructure and problems for resuming flights at Cooch Behar Airport. They also examined whether any problem may arise due to existence of railway track and level crossing adjacent to the airport. Possible problems after resuming of train service along the Alipurduar-Bamanhat railway route that being converted into broad-gauge was also examined. []